President-elect Donald Trump has revealed what he and President Joe Biden discussed during their meeting at the White House on Wednesday.
The two leaders met in the Oval Office to discuss ensuring a “smooth transition” of power as Trump prepares for his second term.
During their conversation, which lasted about two hours, Trump said they addressed key issues, including the war in Ukraine, which he has vowed to end swiftly upon taking office, as well as the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, according to comments made to the New York Post.
“I wanted—I asked for his views and he gave them to me,” Trump said. “Also, we talked very much about the Middle East, likewise. I wanted to know his views on where we are and what he thinks. And he gave them to me, he was very gracious.”
Trump has repeatedly said he could end the war between Russia and Ukraine “in a day” if he were president, but has never given further details of how that might happen. He is expected to handle peace talks with a close circle of aides once in office.
But under Trump’s presidency, U.S. support for Ukraine could come to an end. The president-elect has repeatedly bashed U.S. aid to Ukraine amid the U.S. being the biggest arms supplier to the country. Between February 2022 and the end of June 2024, the U.S. delivered or committed weapons and equipment worth $55.5 billion, according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy.
Following Wednesday’s meeting, Biden’s national security adviser Jake Sullivan revealed that Biden urged Trump to continue U.S. support for Ukraine, arguing that a strong and stable Europe would keep America from being dragged into war.
Meanwhile, Biden also raised the issue of the American-Israeli hostages still being held in Gaza with Trump during the meeting, according to Sullivan, who said during a press briefing that the outgoing administration has sent a “signal” to the Trump transition team that it is prepared to collaborate in order to secure a hostage deal, as well as a ceasefire.
“We’re prepared to work with the incoming team in common cause on a bipartisan basis to do everything in our collective American power to secure the release of the hostages, both living and deceased,” Sullivan said.
After his meeting with Trump, Biden met with the families of the American hostages who are being held in Gaza. He reportedly told them that he and Trump agreed that the hostage issue is urgent and that they want to try and solve it before January 20, Axios reported.
Trump has threatened those holding American hostages, warning they will “pay” if the hostages are not released by the time he assumes office, while the Biden administration has vowed to not give up trying to get the remaining hostages released.
Negotiations between Israel and Hamas have been stalled for the past three months.
Israeli officials say 101 hostages are still being held by Hamas in Gaza and at least 50 of them are believed to be alive.
The post Donald Trump Reveals Two Priorities He Discussed With Joe Biden appeared first on Newsweek.
